


12 Drabbles of Christmas

by kcanwrite



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Real Person Fiction
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Phanfiction, YouTube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-02-28 17:05:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2740259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcanwrite/pseuds/kcanwrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twelve (mostly) fluffy drabbles count down to Christmas. Dan and Phil put up a real tree, decorate, do Christmas charity, buy presents for each other, and more!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Tree

**Author's Note:**

> You can send prompts for upcoming drabbles to my tumblr askbox, doctor-martell.

# The Tree

Dan squinted at his laptop screen. He’d been staring at this gif for a full minute, and still had no idea what he was seeing. Suddenly, his laptop snapped shut and slid off his lap. Phil’s face was revealed as he leant forward to capture Dan’s attention.

"Phil!"

"Dan!" Phil mimicked. "You’ve been on there for hours. You’re not even doing anything!" He cocked his head to the side and stuck his bottom lip out.

"And?" Dan asked, unphased.

"And," Phil placed his hands on Dan’s knees and leant closer. "We need to get a tree!"

Dan rolled his eyes. “No, we don’t, Phil. We already have one.”

"The rave tree doesn’t count. I want a real one this year."

"What, and spend three days hoovering?"

"Yes." Phil stood his ground. He shoved a finger playfully towards Dan’s face. "Try new things!"

Dan sighed and wrapped Phil’s raised hand in both of his. “It’s slightly late to be tree shopping, don’t you think?”

"Come on, Dan, please," Phil pleaded, assuming the puppy dog look he knew would win him over completely. He threaded his fingers through Dan’s and waved their clasped hands between them.

Dan side-eyed him, looking away and back again. “Don’t you dare. No. Don’t give me that look.”

Phil pushed Dan’s hands back against the sofa. He pressed their foreheads together and stuck his bottom lip out further. “Please!”

"You’re being ridiculous!" Dan chuckled.

"But, you can’t resist." Phil grinned. "I’m irresistible!"

Dan coughed out a laugh. “Alright, alright. Fine, we’ll get a real tree.” He kissed Phil lightly. “You win.”

"Yes!" Phil jumped up and danced a small victory jig. He knelt down, pecking Dan’s lips over and over. "Thank you, thank you!"

"I don’t know why you’re thanking me. You would’ve done it, anyway." Dan was fighting a smile. "The ultimate house plant."

"Yes, but now you can’t complain, because you’ve agreed!" Phil kissed him again before running off towards the bedroom. "Hurry and get dressed! I’ve already called a taxi."

"What?"

"We’re going to the Christmas tree farm!"

"No," Dan groaned. "Oh, I didn’t think you meant now!" He dragged himself away from the sofa, tugging at the drawstring on his pajama bottoms. "Phil, do you honestly think we’ll be able to get an actual tree up here? We can hardly maneuver the fake one!"

Phil didn’t answer. Instead, he reappeared in the bedroom doorway with an eager grin. “Ready?”

Dan raised an eyebrow, fighting back a sarcastic retort. He shook his head, defeated, and waved a hand at Phil. “Yeah, just give me five minutes. Okay?”

"Okay." Phil kissed the corner of his mouth and hurried to wait by the door. He called back sternly, "Actually five minutes, though. Not twenty. The taxi will be here any minute."

"Yes, actually five minutes," Dan replied as he rummaged through t-shirts and jumpers.

A few hours later, they returned. It’d taken some time to find the perfect tree for the lounge, but they’d managed. Phil was grinning nonstop, thoroughly enjoying the onset of Christmas. Lucky for Dan, Phil’s smiles were contagious, and he’d been pulled from his grumpy mood in no time. Together, they lugged a seven foot tree up the stairs, leaving a thick path of pine needles behind them.

"Phil, there’s not going to be any tree left once we make it to the lounge! Can’t we just set it up here?" Dan grunted as he lifted the bottom of the tree over another step. "I think I’m getting splinters!"

Near the top, Phil called back, “We’re nearly there! Don’t give up now!”

A series of taxing grunts, groans, and complaints later, they had the tree in the lounge. Dan shoved furniture out of the way as Phil fetched the tree stand they’d purchased. Once they’d cleared a space in the corner, Phil opened his laptop to show Dan a tutorial about setting up a live Christmas tree.

"Martha Stewart?" Dan teased. "Really, Phil?"

Phil rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter who wrote it, what matters is that we don’t have a saw.”

"A what?" Dan’s eyes widened. He scanned the page. "No, no, we can skip that step. It’ll be fine. I think the guy we bought it from did that."

"Did he?" Phil asked suspiciously.

Dan wasn’t going to argue this point. “Yes.” He spoke with a sense finality. “What’s the first step that we’re actually doing?”

"We should put a plastic bag under it for easier cleanup," Phil summarized.

Dan nodded. “Let’s get to it, then.”

Some time later, they collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily. The tree was finally standing, however precariously, in the corner of the lounge. It looked bare in some spots, but Phil wasn’t bothered by it. Dan, however, had spent far too long twisting the tree around, trying to turn the worst of the damage towards the wall, only to find an array of flaws on every side. With some coaxing from Phil, he’d eventually left it alone. Now, they both lay on the floor, spent but satisfied.

"The lights and baubles—" Phil began.

"No," Dan stopped him sternly. "Too tired. Tomorrow." His eyes were closed in exhaustion.

"Okay," Phil relented. "Tomorrow."


	2. Decorate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan can’t sleep, so he decorates the tree at 4AM. Phil wakes up to join him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by an anonymous prompt: "For the next drabble of christmas, can you make them decorating the tree with traditional decoration. But after they realize it's not them and they put on a bunch of nerdy/geeky/Tumblry stuff?"
> 
> You can send prompts for upcoming drabbles to my tumblr askbox, doctor-martell.

# Decorate

Phil rolled over half-asleep and reaching for Dan. His arm fell against the vacated space in bed next to him.

"Dan?"

Phil turned to check the clock. It read 4:16 a.m. He glanced around the room, confused.

"Dan?" he called a bit louder.

A faint glow peeked beneath his door, as the soft sound of shuffling footsteps wafted from the lounge. Phil rubbed his eyes blearily and stood up in the dark. He opened the bedroom door just a crack and peered out. Dan’s shadow twinkled strangely on the lounge wall. Phil tiptoed closer. It wasn’t unusual for Dan to pace around in his room or have a late-night snack in the kitchen, but this was out of the ordinary. When Phil finally looked into the lounge, Dan was nowhere to be seen. The tree, however, now lit up the room with a white gleam, sparkling like starlight. The top portion of the tree remained bare. Phil called out for Dan again, just as the branches gave a slight shake.

Dan squeezed out from behind the tree, a mess of fairy lights spilling from his hands. His face was broken into a goofy grin.

"Phil! You’re up! Look!"

Phil squinted at Dan. He’d forgotten his glasses. “I see. Are you okay? It’s four o’clock in the morning.”

"Right, yeah." Dan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I couldn’t sleep. And, I thought, since you wanted a traditional tree, maybe you want traditional decorations. So, I took the fairy lights from my room and I found some baubles." He trailed off.

The corners of Phil’s mouth tugged upwards. “Can I help?”

Dan lit up. “Yeah! Come help me wrap the rest of the lights around. It’s almost done. Watch out for the baubles there.” He nodded towards a pile of boxes on the floor.

Phil squinted again. “Yeah, let me get my glasses first.”

When he returned, Dan was wrapping the lights one last time. “Done! Thank god. That was fucking exhausting!”

"Sleepy, yet?" Phil asked.

"Not in the slightest." Dan replied, bending over to pluck up a box of baubles. He began to pick at the tape sealing it shut.

Phil’s shoulders slumped at the sight of so many ornaments. “Are we really going to have to thread all those?”

"No, I bought hooks this year." Dan gestured to a bag on the sofa.

"Oh, thank god! They’ll be less fun to take down, though."

Dan shrugged. “We probably won’t break as many.” He finally had the box open. He handed one to Phil. “Okay, my plan was to put a bauble in every bald spot, then hang the rest wherever.” He waved his hands illustratively.

"Sounds like a plan." Phil tore at the plastic bag of hooks with his teeth, ripping it open. He passed one to Dan and dumped the rest in a small pile on the sofa. "Don’t sit on those."

Twenty minutes later, all the tree’s bald spots were cleverly disguised with red or silver baubles. Phil flicked the overhead lights off for the full effect, as they stepped back to admire their work.

"It looks perfect," Dan breathed. "Like a Christmas card."

Phil slipped his hand into Dan’s and dropped his head to Dan’s shoulder. He sighed. “Yeah, but it’s not very us, is it?”

Dan hummed thoughtfully. He leaned his head against Phil’s. “I thought you wanted a traditional Christmas?”

He paused to think before answering. “No. I thought I did, but I get that at my parents’. I want Christmas with you to be,” he trailed off, searching for the right word. “I want it to be all about us, since we don’t get Christmas Day together. Being traditional just seems like a waste. And, it’s boring,” he added with a giggle.

There was a short silence, as they gazed at the twinkling tree, wrapped in each other.

Dan picked his head up suddenly. “Do you still want the real tree, then?”

"Yeah, that’s not going anywhere. We worked way too hard for it."

Dan smiled a small, sweet grin. He kissed the top of Phil’s head. “Yeah, we did. I have an idea.” He gently disentangled himself from Phil and kissed his nose. “Wait here.” Dan dashed from the room.

Phil could hear him rummaging in the bedrooms and office. In the meantime, he began cleaning up boxes and stray hooks.

Dan returned out of breath. His arms were full of all their little toys and trinkets. He dumped them unceremoniously onto the sofa. “We can sit these on the branches. Some of them even have spots for hooks. Well, sort of.” He held up a small stuffed Pokémon for inspection and dropped it again.

"No, that’s a great idea!" Phil picked a hook from those he’d gathered and slipped it through the tag loop on a small Pikachu. He hung it on an empty branch. "See?"

"Phil, you’ve hung it by its ass."

Phil scratched his head and grimaced at the makeshift ornament. “Well, yeah, but– Okay, how about this?” He plucked Pikachu from the hook and carefully perched it on the branch.

Dan nodded. “Not bad. I like it.” He grabbed a Jigglypuff and placed it on the tree.

Soon, they’d covered the tree in Pokémon plushies, gaming memorabilia, and quirky trinkets. They sat back on the sofa, exhausted. The sun had risen, and light was leaking into the room through the shades.

Phil sighed and laid his head in Dan’s lap, as he admired the tree. He smiled. “Now, it’s perfect.”

"Very us," Dan agreed. He gasped suddenly and tried to stand, momentarily forgetting about Phil. "Wait! We haven’t got a star!"

Phil sat up reluctantly. “Oh my god, aren’t you tired?” he whined.

"We can’t not have a star!" Dan argued.

"We can get a star after we get some sleep."

"I’ve got a star plushie thing from Mario Kart. We can use that."

Phil collapsed sideways on the sofa. “You can. I’m going to sleep.”

Dan found the star in the reject pile that had been too difficult to decorate with earlier. Within minutes, he was able to rig it to the top of the tree. ”Okay, it’s done.” Dan stepped back carefully. “Look, Phil. I think it’s perfect. We can sleep n–” Dan turned to find Phil already passed out and snoring quietly. He smiled fondly down at him. Dan retrieved Phil’s comforter and turned out the lights in the lounge. He pushed Phil over slightly and cuddled in behind him, wrapping an arm around Phil’s waist. He draped the blanket over them. “Thank you for decorating the tree with me,” he whispered.

Phil grunted in response. “You’re welcome.” He clumsily interlocked his hand with Dan’s.

Dan kissed the shell of Phil’s ear and closed his eyes. Though the morning sunshine sent rays across the room, they were asleep in moments, breathing in the woodsy scent of the Christmas tree.  



	3. It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil bid goodbye as they go their separate ways for Christmas.

# It Doesn't Really Feel Like Christmas At All

‘ _I miss you._ ’ Scribbled on a corner of newspaper.

‘ _I’m not gone yet._ ’ Scribbled back.

The icy tip of his nose brushed Phil’s cheek. Dan’s lips, cold and chapped, neared his ear, speaking almost inaudibly above the road noise in the back of the car: “Hold me.” He reached blindly for a warm hand to curl around his own, the gray light of morning barely breaking through the tinted glass.

Phil threaded their fingers together, slipping one arm around Dan’s waist. He pulled him close, feeling his head fall upon his shoulder, and kissed his hair. 

A sullen holiday instrumental rose from the speakers and swathed them in its desolate melodies. Fierce wind whistled against the windows, but the sky remained clear. There would be no snow on Christmas. Sunshine raked over the horizon, streaking the sky with gold and pink. It should have been beautiful.

Phil parted their hands and draped his other arm over Dan, fully encasing him in an embrace. Dan sucked in a breath and wrapped his arms around Phil’s torso. Their legs overlapped, and they clung to each other as if freezing. Neither could find warmth. Phil’s chest rose and fell slowly with Dan’s head now resting against it. Dan counted Phil’s heartbeats and pressed his fingertips into the cloth of his dusky blue jumper, his nails snagging the fabric. Phil squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on the smell of Dan’s hair, coffee and coconut. His fingers traced small, fervent circles across his shoulder and lower back.

They stood facing each other in a shadowy corner at the train station. Both had mere minutes to spare.

“Come with me.”

“I can’t.”

“Come with me.”

“I love you.”

Their lips crashed together, fingers crumpled in dark hair. Both were gasping hot, desperate breaths, pressing against each other hard enough to hurt. They didn’t care. Teeth scraped against lips, dragging and pulling. Dan gripped Phil’s shirt collar, needing him ever closer. Their skin flushed pink and their hearts beat in synch. “Don’t let me go.” 

Time is what ultimately pulled them apart. One deep, final kiss laced with equal parts pain and passion sealed their valediction. And fingertips grazed across palms as they parted ways, unwilling to feel alone, untouched until the ultimate moment.


	4. Secret Santa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU: Dan and Phil are both YouTubers, but Dan never reached out to Phil. This year, the London YouTube Space has decided to set local YouTubers up with Secret Santas. Dan is pleased to discover he is Phil's Secret Santa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this wasn't the busiest month of the year, this would have been a lot longer.

# Secret Santa

Dan rubbed his eyes as he opened the door. The postman handed him a stack of envelopes–mostly junk–and a small Amazon package. He lumbered upstairs, kicking discarded shoes and t-shirts as he went. The letters splayed out messily across the kitchen counter. He rooted through the cabinet for what may or may not be left for breakfast. The fridge was poorly stocked as well, so he had his cereal dry and his coffee black. He picked up the topmost letter as he ate, reclined on a beanbag chair. It was from the YouTube Space in London. The back of the envelope was decorated with 8-bit-style Christmas lights. He tore it open with his teeth, pulling the letter out hastily. The tone was far too exciting for eight a.m.

_Hello Dan and Happy Holidays!_

_We here at YouTube Space London have decided to celebrate the festive season with a Secret Santa activity!_

Dan tossed his head back and groaned. He skimmed the rest of the letter, mouthing the words silently, "Blah blah, the final gifts will be exchanged at the YouTube holiday party, blah blah. Please send two gifts prior, blah blah blah. Do not exceed a total of $100." He stopped when he saw the name at the bottom.

 _You will be_ **Phil Lester** _'s Secret Santa. You may view a personality profile at the following link once it is completed. Please remember to complete your own profile for your Secret Santa's convenience!_

Phil Lester. He knew that name well. Dan had been a fan of Phil's for years. It was AmazingPhil who had inspired him to finally start his own channel when law school lost its appeal. He immediately forgot his breakfast and began brainstorming gift ideas.

Four days later, he received his first Secret Santa gift from the postman. It was large and gave a soft rattle as he carried it to the lounge and abandoned it on the end table. Though the Christmas wrapping paper intrigued him, he didn't give the gift a second thought.

He had mailed Phil's present the day before: a soft sweatshirt with a screen-printed lion's face. He wished he could see Phil's reaction. Was the shirt too over-the-top or just the right mix of ridiculous and amazing? His palms had been sweaty when he'd passed the box over for shipment. Now, they were dry, cold even.

Dan was much less interested in his own gift, sure it was a lame attempt at satisfying his well-publicized love for Pokémon or video games. It would probably be something he already owned. Much later, when he could find nothing of interest on television, he resorted to opening the package. Inside was a large plastic bucket of Maltesers topped with a red bow. His eyes widened as he pulled it gingerly from the cardboard box. Maybe this Secret Santa thing wasn't such a bad idea after all. He popped the top and relaxed happily, tossing handfuls of Maltesers into his mouth as cooking shows played unnoticed on the television screen.

The next day, there was a new AmazingPhil video titled "MY SECRET SANTA!" Dan eagerly pulled it up on the television screen. 

"Hey, guys! So, the London YouTube Space is doing this Secret Santa thing for Christmas. All the YouTubers around London got assigned a YouTuber to send secret presents to!" He waved his fingers illustratively, giving the word an air of mystery. "I can't tell you who mine is, but I can show you the present I got today! I actually haven't opened it yet, so we'll get to experience the excitement together!"

Dan's heart began pounding in his chest. Phil tore at the packing tape, making silly comments. Dan barely heard him. He was too busy studying his face for approval. Phil reached inside the box at last and tossed aside the layer of tissue paper. Dan knew the lion's face was staring up at him. 

Phil pulled the shirt up slowly, his face an expression of awe. "Oh wow, you guys," he murmured. "Look at this shirt!" His voice rose in volume as he turned the shirt toward the viewers. A full grin spread from ear to ear. "Hang on a minute!" One jump cut later and Phil was wearing the shirt, pulling the hem out to give the camera a better angle. "Look at this! I love it! Thank you, Secret Santa, whoever you are!"

Dan released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and, as the screen went black and reflective, realized a smile was plastered across his face. His dimple showed more prominently than it had in months. He immediately reopened Phil's personality profile, racking his brain for the next gift.

The next day, Dan found himself in town browsing video games. He spied Super Smash Bros, a game he'd already purchased for himself, and remembered a recent tweet from Phil. He picked it up.

When Dan's second present arrived, he was marginally more interested in its contents. He took it from the postman and walked upstairs to open it with a kitchen knife. The box hadn't rattled like another bucket of Maltesers when he shook it, but he wasn't giving up hope. As he pulled the cardboard flaps open, his heart skipped a beat. It was a goddamn Tonberry plushie. He hadn't even mentioned Final Fantasy in his personality profile. He used to speak about it in liveshows when viewers asked for an iPod update. The soundtracks were some of his favorite pieces of music and often made an appearance. Whoever his Secret Santa was, they knew him. Well.

Dan smiled when Phil tweeted that same day to express his excitement and gratitude over Super Smash Bros.

 _Thank you Secret_ _! I nearly bought this as a Philmas gift. Glad I waited! Can't wait to play 5 hours in a row *snowman hug*_

The YouTube holiday party was fast approaching. Dan was unable to choose an outfit, unsure about his final gift to Phil, and anxious over his Secret Santa's identity. He had a few hours to spare, spending it tossing jumper after jumper aside. He settled on his black Santa jumper, deciding it was the most seasonally appropriate. On the way out the door, he picked up Phil's gift to inspect it one last time. He smoothed out the wrapping paper and checked his spelling on the tag. The box was small and flat. He could have put the gift in an envelope and been done, but that wouldn't have been as much fun for Phil to open. He'd purchased a pair of tickets to see Muse in concert, going slightly over the mandated price limit. He planned to give both to Phil, allowing him to choose who to take along. Naturally, secretly, he wanted Phil to take him, but he wasn't stupid enough to get his hopes up. Phil was a big time YouTuber with more than double Dan's subscriber count. There was no way he'd ever thought twice about him. He'd be lucky if Phil even recognized him during the reveal tonight. Dan shook his head and left the flat, locking the door behind him.

That night at the party, Dan mingled as best he could under stress. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans over and over, trying to spare those who shook his hand. Once an announcement was made, they would be able to exchange their final gifts. Dan was the worst mixture of excitement and anxiety. He couldn't bring himself to eat or keep from spilling drinks. 

Finally, a man Dan didn't recognize interrupted the music to speak, "Creators and staff, you may exchange your final Secret Santa gifts and reveal your true identities! Happy Christmas, everybody!" The man gave an excited whoop as the music resumed.

Dan's heart pounded harder and seemed to rise in his throat. He'd never spoken to Phil one-on-one before. Sure, they had a couple mutual friends via YouTube, but they'd never had a proper conversation. He glanced around, partially blinded by the strange club-style lighting. Suddenly, there was a tap on his shoulder. Dan turned and found himself face-to-face with Phil Lester. 

"Hi, Dan." Phil's cheeks blushed pink as he gave a shy wave.

Dan tried to speak and realized his voice had left him. He cleared his throat. "Hi."

"Um, Merry Christmas," Phil stammered, thrusting a small, flat present towards Dan. "I, uh, I'm your Secret Santa." He scratched the back of his head nervously. 

Dan tried not to admire his arm, raised high with the muscles stretching beautifully beneath pale skin. "Oh!" He exclaimed, finally registering what Phil had said. "What, really?" He furrowed his brow, trying to process the unprecedented information. 

"Y-yeah, really." The gift still sat awkwardly in Phil's outstretched palm.

Dan fumbled in his coat pocket a moment. He held out a present, similar in size and shape. "But, I'm _your_ Secret Santa."

Phil's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?"

Dan could see the gears turning in Phil's head. They were frozen a moment too long, their gifts still unopened. "Um, shall we?" Dan gestured to the boxes between them.

"Yeah, of course!"

They swapped gifts quickly, but both unwrapped the packages with care, peeling the paper back gently. They glanced up at each other and bashfully back down again before lifting the lids. Dan heard Phil suck in a breath as he opened his box. He hoped that was a good thing. Dan removed a layer of tissue paper and lifted a pair of eerily familiar concert tickets. A look of awe played across his features.

"Muse?" Phil whispered.

Dan smiled. "Muse."

They stared into each other's eyes, mirrored grins split across their faces.

"Would you like to come with me?" Phil asked, a sudden surge of confidence behind his words.

Dan tried and failed not to blush. "I wouldn't dream of going with anyone else."

Phil's smile widened. "It's a date, then."

Dan nodded. "It's a date."


	5. Gold Ring, Navy Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is preparing to propose and just can’t get the words right.

# Gold Ring, Navy Box

He sat on the edge of the bed, rolling the ring between his fingers, stumbling each time he brushed the embedded stone. Sunlight spilled from the window and glinted off the gold.

He pinched the ring between his fingers and knelt before his reflection, mouthing silently, “Will you marry me?”

For a moment, he stared into his own eyes. The man staring back looked insecure and scared, clearly falling victim to nerves. Abruptly, he looked away, shaking his head. The traditional question wasn’t enough. He needed to express his admiration, pride, gratitude, and–most of all–his love.

Again, he offered the ring to his reflection, but the band slipped from his fingers and rolled under the bed. “Shit, shit, shit!” On all fours, his left hand fumbled, coming up empty. “Fuck,” he whispered as he shone a light. The ring shimmered in the beam, revealing itself. He grasped it and sat back on his heels, studying it for flaws. All was well.

His image in the mirror caught his eye. His hair was sticking up in all directions. Dust bunnies clung to his jumper, dull gray clumps against Christmas green. He shook his hair out and brushed it to the side in an effort to look presentable. It felt futile.

He pulled the navy blue velvet box from his pocket and nestled the gold ring inside. The closing box cracked, shattering the silence. He stuffed it hurriedly in the back of a drawer. The concerned echo of his name being called traveled from the floor below. “Just a minute!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s supposed to be slightly ambiguous, so you don’t know which one is going to propose when they exchange gifts later, but if you read closely, there are some clues as to who it is.


	6. Booze & Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil are drunk at a Christmas party when they encounter mistletoe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this. Can you tell?

# Booze & Mistletoe

Phil felt a hand clap heavily onto his shoulder. He staggered, though more from the drinks than the sudden weight.

"Phil!" Dan shouted over the music with a little more enthusiasm than was strictly necessary.

"Yes?" He shouted back with equal force, laughing.

Stepping closer than he would if he were sober, Dan slurred, "Where've you been?"

"Here." Phil leaned in to poke Dan's chest. "Where've you been?" A sudden burst of music drowned out his voice. 

"Come with me. I'm tired." Dan pulled Phil's hand over his shoulder as he turned to lead the way. He interlocked their fingers and squeezed tightly, ensuring he wouldn't lose Phil, again.

"Where are we go—"

"Ah-ha!" A mismatched group on the sofa suddenly burst into a chorus of whoops and howls. "Stop, stop, stop!" One woman shouted at Dan, waving her hands at him as she stood in his way. "You shall not pass!" She coughed out a laugh, pleased with herself. "Unless you please the plebes with a kiss!" She pointed at the ceiling before doubling over from laughter. One of the men, an American frat boy type, tumbled from the couch as he dissolved into drunken giggles interspersed with scarcely coherent stammers. Phil could just make them out: "We got one! We got them so good!"

"What the fuck?" Dan stopped in his tracks, flabbergasted. He'd yet to notice the mistletoe taped above their heads.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" A few members of the group chanted.

"No." Dan said simply. He would have sounded firm had he not been swaying in place.

Phil's arm remained draped over Dan's shoulder from behind, their fingers still entwined. Phil gave Dan's hand a squeeze, communicating a silent message. Dan, a look of pure confusion twisting his features, peered over his shoulder. Phil was blushing as he pointed upwards.

Dan was slow to process the gesture in his inebriated state, but he finally tilted his head back. "Oh!" He exclaimed in surprise. "Well!" He released Phil's hand and spun to face him. "Why didn't you say so?"

"I—" Phil didn't have time to express surprise before Dan's lips were locked with his, moving sans their usual grace. Dan cradled Phil's face in his hands roughly and jerked him closer. Phil wasn't quick to respond, but he parted his lips to allow Dan entrance. Their tongues pushed and danced. Phil ran his hand through Dan's hair, tugging on it gently as the rest of the world fell away. He pressed his body against Dan's when his balance failed him. Dan wrapped his arms around him knowingly. They kissed hungrily with unmatched passion. Dan nipped Phil's bottom lip playfully before pulling back for air. 

The crowd on the sofa had fallen into stunned silence minutes ago. The giggly American broke first, letting out a feral holler of approval. "You win!" He shouted. "You win the evening!" He took two cups from his friends, spilling their contents as he bowed to present them gallantly to Dan and Phil. "Merry fuckin' Christmas!"

Dan raised his cup in a toast. "Merry fucking Christmas." He took a hardy swig.

Phil cleared his throat and raised his cup as well. "Yep." He refrained from taking a sip, already less sober than he intended.

The group on the sofa returned to more interesting matters as the show ended. Dan and Phil linked hands, again.

"Can we go home, now?" Dan whispered in his ear, lips brushing it softly.

Phil smiled and kissed his cheek. "Yes, please."


	7. Make My Wish Come True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil is at this parents' house for Christmas when they mysterious sounds of Mariah Carey start playing through the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recommend listening to "All I Want for Christmas is You" while reading.

# Make My Wish Come True

The familiar tinkling of notes pricked at Phil’s ears through his headphones. He pulled them off slowly and glanced around.

Then, the slow lyrics began: “I don’t want a lot for Christmas."

Phil put his phone down, forgetting the game he’d been playing. 

"There is just one thing I need."

He pushed his warm blanket aside and stood from his bed, the chill of winter striking his bare feet. He slipped on a pair of mismatched socks decorated with gingerbread cookies and snowmen as he hobbled to the guest room door.

“I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree."

“Mum?” Phil called. His parents had gone out for last minute groceries. It was doubtful they’d already returned. “Martyn?” His brother wasn’t due until tomorrow, but it wouldn’t be the first time he arrived early to surprise everyone.

“I just want you for my own..."

He wandered downstairs, following the soft, sweet melody. No one seemed to be home, but the croon of Mariah Carey’s voice still leaked through the walls. 

“...more than you could ever know."

As he walked, Phil flicked on the Christmas lights in the lounge, realizing the sun had begun to set. Orange light seeped in through the windows and cast a gentle glow on the Christmas tree. With the white lights twinkling, it looked like a fantasy.

“Make my wish come true."

The source of the music still eluded him as it wasn’t coming from inside the house. As Phil walked past the window, something out of place caught his eye. He turned and peered between the blinds. Standing in the drive was a tall man in black holding a boom box high above his head. Phil gasped and rushed to the door. It was as if his legs couldn’t move fast enough as he stumbled over the threshold.

“All I want for Christmas is…"

Dan’s face broke into a vast smile as Phil came tumbling out the front door. Phil’s face lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight of him. The tip of Dan’s nose was pink with cold and his mittened hands shivered, shifting the boom box back and forth in quick, small movements. They stood staring at each other in beautiful disbelief, streams of orange and pink sunlight illuminating the snowy scene around them. Phil felt his eyes water as he grinned from ear to ear. “You came,” he whispered.

Dan nodded and set the boom box on the ground beside him. “I missed you."

Phil broke first and ran toward him at full speed, tackling him to the ground. “I love you!”

Dan broke into laughter as he wrapped his arms around Phil warmly. Phil nuzzled Dan’s neck, his fringe becoming wet with snow. Dan’s chocolate brown hair was dotted with snowflakes where it peeked out from his furry, gray hat, giving him a marvelous, ethereal appearance.

“You’re beautiful,” Phil whispered.

Dan rolled his eyes, but his smile widened. “Happy Christmas, Phil."

“Happy Christmas, Dan.” Phil cradled Dan’s cheek in his hand and bestowed a gentle kiss as the song played out its final note.


	8. Baby, It's Cold Inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heating breaks in Dan and Phil's flat, and they need to keep warm. Warning: Extreme fluff! Snuggles and tickles and kisses, oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was partially inspired by two prompts submitted to the phanfic tumblr:
> 
> "its christmas eve and the heating apartment breaks so Dan and Phil...cuddle under blankets with hot chocolates and watch christmas movies...and fluffy fluff"
> 
> "...the other day I was with my crush and I kinda fell asleep but when I woke up he said how my hand was tightly wrapped in his hair and I was too cute to move and I just want phan doing this..."

# Baby, It's Cold Inside

Phil awoke hopelessly twisted in the sheets with his teeth chattering. Dan had clearly gotten out of bed already. His side of the bed was saturated with cold. Gray morning light slipped in around the curtains and winter's chill nipped at Phil's fingers and toes. He curled in on himself, trying to pull as much of his body under the duvet as possible.

"Dan?" He called. "Have you turned the heating off?"

Dan lumbered into the room. His torso was thick with jumpers and a fluffy hat covered his head. Despite it all, he was shivering. "It won't turn on." His teeth chattered. "I think it's broken. I've just started the fire." He gave a violent shake as an intense shiver rippled through his body.

Phil launched into problem-solving mode immediately. "I'll throw some blankets in the dryer, and we'll have a movie day by the fire. We can make hot chocolate and roast marshmallows and—"

Dan held up a sleeve-covered hand. "Okay, okay, as long as we get this sorted soon." He shivered again as he turned toward the door. "I'm going to throw myself into the flames."

Phil rolled his eyes as he forced himself out of bed, wrapping the duvet around his shoulders.

Some time later, Dan stirred two mugs of hot cocoa at the kitchen counter. The delicious chocolate scent filled his nose and steam wrapped around his fingers, warming his hands. Phil was setting up It’s A Wonderful Life in the lounge. He heard the dryer ding and Phil joined him in the kitchen to fetch the laundry. As he passed, he trailed his fingers across Dan’s back and kissed his jaw, earning a sweet smile as Dan’s cheeks blushed a deeper shade of pink, already reddened by the cold.

“Movie’s ready,” Phil said, his tone upbeat and cheerful. He bent over to pull freshly warmed blankets from the dryer, taking a moment to snuffle them and warm his nose.

Dan laughed. “Phil,” he chastised.

“What?” An innocent grin played across his face.

“Nothing.” Dan smiled to himself and shook his head. “Cocoa’s done.” 

He met Phil on the couch with their hot drinks and some store-bought Christmas cookies. Phil was already wrapped in the cocoon-like comfort of the blankets, but he lifted the corner and patted the spot next to him. Dan snuggled in, resting his head on Phil’s shoulder. He felt Phil slip an arm around his waist and curl his fingers into the fabric of his jumper, pulling Dan closer. They each pulled the covers up to their chins as Phil pressed play.

Dan could feel his eyelids droop as his head dropped from Phil’s shoulder to the bundle of blankets in his lap. Phil’s fingers threaded through his hair gently, soothing him to sleep. He wound and unwound Dan’s hair about his forefinger and traced slow circles over his scalp, his own eyes growing tired. The movie played on softly as they each drifted to sleep. They were wrapped in one another, warm and content at last. Their cocoa grew cold on the coffee table, and the cookies sat uneaten and forgotten.

As the movie came to an end and silence filled the room, Dan’s eyes fluttered open. Phil’s hand was resting against his head, fingers still tangled in his hair. Phil had propped his own head on his fist, his elbow digging into the armrest. Dan turned to lay on his back, looking up at Phil. He clasped Phil’s hand in both of his and held it to his chest. Phil stirred gently and his head fell from its perch. He snapped awake in surprise. 

Dan laughed aloud. “Good morning, sunshine."

Phil groaned in response. He slid from his sitting position to lay on the couch and wrap his arms around Dan, trapping him playfully. He nuzzled Dan’s ear.

“Argh!” Dan flinched and swatted at him. “Your nose is freezing!"

Phil hugged him tighter and brushed the tip of his nose over Dan’s neck. Dan pretended to scream in protest, but his uncontrollable laughter spurred Phil on. His sides felt as if they'd split as Phil tickled his stomach.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Dan sputtered between giggles. "I can't— I can't—!" He fought back to no avail, Phil keeping his own ticklish spots just out of reach.

"Do you give in?" Phil inquired with a toothy grin. He pinned Dan's arms to the sofa and hovered over him, their faces just inches apart. "Do you give up?"

Dan paused, a smirk etching itself into his features. He was considering his options. "Should I?"

Phil liked that answer. His grin morphed into a haughty smirk as he dived at Dan's neck, peppering it with rough, sloppy kisses. He slipped his hands under Dan's jumpers, the cold skin of his fingers forcing Dan to twitch and writhe beneath him.

"Phil! Phil, no! You're cold!" Dan fought back a moan as Phil nipped at the base of his neck. He felt Phil's hands slide down his sides gently, tickling him once more before disappearing.

Phil's lips were suddenly at his ear, breath hot and sending waves through Dan. "Do you give up, now?"

In the fireplace, the last of the flames sputtered and died. Their last source of heat depleted.

Dan took Phil's face in his hands and pulled him close. He whispered fervently, "Never." At last, Dan pressed their lips together hungrily, clutching Phil to him for warmth.

Phil kissed back passionately and pulled the blankets tightly around them. He ran his hands through Dan's hair and tugged it gently. Dan moaned into his mouth, the vibrations making him melt. Phil softened against him as his kisses became more languid. He took his time, shaping each movement of his lips around Dan's.

Dan wrapped his arms tighter around Phil, seeking warmth. The chill of the room was starting to seep in and ruin the moment. This time, Phil shook involuntarily with cold. He let out a small yelp and buried his face in Dan's jumper, seeking relief from the plummeting temperatures. It was Dan's turn to brush his fingers soothingly through Phil's hair now, his other arm still wrapped warmly around him. He felt Phil relax against him.

"Can we just stay here forever?" Phil's voice was somewhat muffled by Dan's jumper.

"Yes, though I wouldn't mind slightly warmer temperatures." He tucked the edges of Phil's duvet into the couch cushions.

Phil hummed halfheartedly in response, his eyelids closing again as the rise and fall of Dan's chest lulled him to sleep. 

Dan joined him, allowing his eyes to close slowly. He placed a chaste kiss on Phil's head and settled softly into sleep.


	9. Two Gifts and a Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil have their Christmas before parting ways to visit family. Dan is nervous about his gifts for Phil–specifically, the one encased in a small, velvet box.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember "Gold Ring, Navy Box?" Oh, yeah.

# Two Gifts and a Ring

"Phil, wake up! Wake up! Presents, presents, presents!" Dan jumped up and down by the bed. It was nearly noon, and he'd been up since ten. It wasn't typical for Phil to sleep this late. Normally, Dan was the last one to wake, but today was different. He was incredibly nervous to reveal Phil's Christmas gift, his insides feeling ready to explode. The anxiety was getting to be too much, and he couldn’t wait any longer.

Phil groaned and rolled over to face Dan. He kept his eyes closed and grumbled, "Five more minutes?"

"No! Come on. I made breakfast," he added in an enticing sing-song voice.

Phil opened one squinted eye. "Really?"

"Really, really." Dan knelt down, so he was level with Phil. "Pancakes and waffles and bacon and eggs and—"

“Ugh, shut up! No you haven't, you liar." Phil buried his face in the pillow.

Dan sighed. "Okay, but I did pick up some doughnuts, and there's hot chocolate on the stove."

"Healthy."

“It’s Christmas."

Dan watched Phil’s chest rise and fall as he breathed deeply. He peeked out. "Alright, alright. I'll get up."

"Yes!" Dan pecked his lips quickly before rushing from the room.

A little while later, Phil finally emerged. He stopped short when he saw Dan standing in the lounge with a tinsel-lined tray. Three doughnuts were lain prettily atop one another on a decorative Christmas plate. An Adventure Time mug filled with hot cocoa and marshmallows completed the picture.

"You were taking so long, I thought I'd bring you breakfast in bed.” Dan grinned and lifted the spread toward Phil.

He took the tray and plopped onto the couch with a yawn. “Here’s fine.” He yawned, again. “I need caffeine."

Dan dashed away and returned with two mugs of coffee. He handed one to Phil before sitting in the recliner.

“You’re very chipper.” Phil eyed Dan suspiciously as he nibbled on a doughnut. He was fidgeting like crazy, picking up his mug, immediately setting it down again, drumming on the armrest, tapping his foot. “Dan, are you okay? Did you overdo it on the coffee, again?"

“What? No, no, I haven’t had any ’til now. Why?” He laced his fingers together in an attempt to still their movements.

“No reason.” Phil sipped from his mug and wiped his fingers, sticky with glaze, on a napkin. “Shall we open presents, then?"

Phil couldn’t tell if Dan’s reaction was one of sudden relief or increased anxiety. “Yes! I thought you’d never ask. Jesus, aren’t you excited for Christmas, at all?"

“Yeah, but it isn’t Christmas, yet."

Dan rolled his eyes dramatically as he dug beneath the tree. “Yeah, but it’s _our_ Christmas."

Phil nodded, still confused by Dan’s rampant enthusiasm. But, when Dan reappeared with a beautifully wrapped gift, he couldn’t settle the butterflies in his stomach. Maybe he was ridiculously excited after all, albeit a bit tired. He grinned widely as Dan sat next to him and passed the present over. “What is it?"

Dan scoffed. “Open it and find out, you doofus.” He held back an anticipatory smile.

Phil unwrapped the paper with agonizingly slow motions, knowing the longer he took, the more fidgety Dan would become. He picked at each flap and bit of tape individually. When Dan let out a pointed sigh, he winked playfully.

“Come on, we haven’t got all day!” Dan exclaimed.

“Don’t we, though?” Phil asked, feigning innocence. He laughed and finally tore the paper, revealing a plain cardboard box.

“If you drag out opening that box, I’ll keep it for myself,” Dan threatened.

Phil chuckled. “Okay, fair enough.” He ripped the box open and pulled away a layer of tissue paper. As he unfolded the gift inside, he sucked in a small gasp. “Is this– Is it my size?” He asked, his voice quiet with awe.

“Mm-hm,” Dan confirmed, studying Phil’s face for approval.

“Oh, I love it!” He clutched the Sonic Christmas sweater to his chest. "How did you find it? I thought they were sold out!"

Dan waved his hands in mock nonchalance. “Oh, ya know. I pulled a few strings, blackmailed some people. No big deal."

Phil laughed aloud. He looked into Dan’s chocolate brown eyes sincerely. “Thank you.” He leaned forward for an embrace and placed a sweet, close-mouthed kiss on Dan's lips. “You’re the best."

“Shut up.” Dan looked down at his lap sheepishly, but he couldn’t hide his smile.

“I’m going to wear it right now.” Phil tugged the sweater on over his pajama shirt and pulled the hem out to admire it. He beamed up at Dan. “What do you think?"

“I think you look brilliant.” He pressed his lips to Phil's briefly, smiling into the kiss.

“Okay,” Phil exclaimed, jumping from the couch. “It’s your turn.” He ducked behind the tree and revealed a box wrapped in wrinkled paper. He passed it to Dan and sat nervously next to him.

“Aw, Phil.” Dan lamented, gesturing at the messy wrapping paper.

“Hey!” Phil interrupted as he held up a finger. “It’s what’s inside that counts."

“Oh my god, really? Really?” He covered his face with his hand, trying not to giggle. “Okay, whatever.” In no time, he’d uncovered the box. “What.” The cardboard box was emblazoned with the Guild Wars 2 logo and artwork. Dan picked at the sealing tape, opening the box quickly. “Phil! You got me a charr plushie?” He removed the soft lion-like creature from its packaging. “Oh my god, look at it! It’s fantastic!”

Phil smiled. “I thought it might help you think of me, while we’re apart this week."

Dan offered him a gentle smile. “I’d think of you, anyway.” He hugged Phil tightly. As they pulled away, Dan suddenly remembered why he’d been so anxious. His face paled.

“Dan, what’s wrong?” Phil asked, genuinely concerned. He took the plush toy from him and held it up for inspection. “Is there something wrong with it?"

Dan cleared his throat. “No, no. It’s not that.” He forced a smile. “I, um, I have another gift for you."

“Oh, okay, but I thought we agreed on just one?"

Dan shook his head and walked to the tree. “It’s not the same. It’s…” He trailed off as he reached into the trees branches, rummaging for the small box he’d hidden while Phil was sleeping. He swiftly hid it behind his back and approached Phil, sure he was going to be sick at any moment.

Phil sensed the sudden change in mood and pulled his legs to his chest instinctively. “Dan, you’re making me nervous. What are you doing?"

“I, um, I’m–" He cut himself off and dropped hurriedly to one knee before his nerves got the best of him.

Phil sucked in a breath, eyes wide.

“Phil,” Dan began shakily. He revealed the navy velvet box and cradled it in his hands. “I’ve been thinking lately that–" He paused for breath and tried to calm himself. “–that I don’t want to be with anyone else. Ever. You bring light and happiness and, just, pure joy to my life. I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without you. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together. And, I want to keep doing things with you. I want to do everything with you. I want to create with you– I want to _be_ with you for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine being who I am with anyone else. And, I don’t want to. I just want you.” Dan paused to lock eyes with Phil, having looked away in a moment of insecurity. "I love you." He opened the box to reveal a shining gold band. “Will you marry me?"

Phil clapped his hand to his mouth. Behind the lens of his glasses, Dan could see his eyes welling up with tears. Phil opened and closed his mouth, trying to find his voice. He cleared his throat and nodded vigorously. “Yes. Of course I will! Yes!” He leapt from the sofa and wrapped his arms around Dan, throwing them both to the floor. “I love you, too.” He covered Dan’s skin with quick, fervent kisses, before pulling back to smile down at him, his tongue poking out cutely between his teeth. He held up his left hand and waggled his bare ring finger.

Dan laughed, relief setting in. He fumbled for the box and plucked the ring from its cushion. He steadied Phil’s hand and slid the band onto his finger, feeling his own eyes well with tears.

Phil admired it, a few tears escaping down his cheeks. “I can’t believe this. I’m not dreaming, am I?” For a brief moment, the ring caught the light from the window beautifully, and he smiled. Suddenly, he yelped and burst into laughter as Dan pinched his arm.

“Nope, you’re awake."

Phil pinched him back, earning a high-pitched yowl. “So are you, apparently."

Dan laughed loudly. “Good." He pulled Phil closer, grinning wildly as he gazed into light blue eyes. "I want this to be real."

“Me, too.” Phil closed the space between them with a long, passionate kiss.


	10. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil have one more present for Mr. and Mrs. Lester: They're adopting a baby!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually the last Drabble of Christmas. There were a couple I wasn't happy with that were only posted to my tumblr, doctor-martell. I may add those after Christmas.
> 
> This was inspired by "The Reveal to Grandpa" and Dan & Phil's bit in this year's YouTube Rewind.

# The Reveal

"Mum, Dad, we—"  Phil paused to gather his nerves.  He felt Dan clutch his hand encouragingly, giving it a gentle squeeze.  Empty plates and used napkins littered the table in front of them.  He pushed them all aside to clear a path to his parents.  He took a deep breath.  "We have something for you."

Dan glanced at him, his cheeks tinged pink, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.  He reached under his chair to produce a small yellow box.  At Phil's nod he pushed it gently across the table to Mrs. Lester.

"Oh, Phil, dear, another one?  You are spoiling me!  Why didn't you two have this under the tree?"

Phil laughed lightly.  "This one's a little different.  It's special."

Dan nodded in agreement.  "Mm-hm."

"Oh, alright."  She removed the lid and looked inside.  "Aw, sweetheart, this looks just like yours when you were a baby!"  She held the pacifier up to show her husband.

"Read the tag, Mum."  Phil prodded.

Mrs. Lester pinched the small tag tied to the dummy and squinted at it.  Suddenly, she gasped and clapped a hand to her heart.  Her face lit up at once.  She looked at Phil in disbelief, then back at the tag, then back at Phil.  The pacifier was clutched protectively to her chest.

Phil squeezed Dan's hand.

His mother leaned toward him, a grin spread across her face.  "Really?"  Her eyes welling with joyous tears.

Dan and Phil nodded in unison, both smiling.

"Oh my god."  She wiped her eyes.  "Look, dear, look!"  She thrust the tag at her husband, finally including him in the news.

Mr. Lester put a hand to his mouth in surprise, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.  His voice was quiet and thick with emotion when he spoke.  "Congratulations, boys."  He gave an approving nod to each of them.

"How long now?" Mrs. Lester asked urgently.

"Six months," Dan answered.  "It's been underway for a while now, but we didn't want to tell anyone, unless it was confirmed.  We should be able to bring her home just in time for summer."

Mrs. Lester gasped, again.  "Her?"  She looked quickly from Dan to Phil.  "It's a girl?"

Phil smiled from ear to ear.  "Yep!"

"Oh, boys, I'm so happy for you!"  She stood from the table and opened her arms widely.  "Come here, you two!"

Dan and Phil stood to lean in for a warm hug.  "Merry Christmas, Mum."

She squealed once more with excitement, squeezing them tighter.  "Merry Christmas!"


	11. Shopping (pt. 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan gets lost while he and Phil are out shopping for charity and needs to be rescued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was posted on my tumblr for Day 3 of the 12 Drabbles of Christmas. It was meant to be a mini choose-your-own-adventure, but that never came to fruition. I was never fully happy with how this turned out, and I meant to edit it throughout December. Obviously, that never happened. Anyway, here it is–-far after Christmas–-for those still interested.
> 
> Also, I accidentally combined Angel Tree with Operation Christmas Child.
> 
> Prompt: "phil and dan go to buy presents, and by some point they get lost and fight a little but it's all fluff and stuff and it would be pretty cute if you do something with phil's glasses"

# Shopping (pt. 1)

“Dan, let’s go! The taxi’s here!” Phil called up the stairs. He heard the quick clamber of footsteps as Dan rushed down.

“I’m coming, I’m coming, calm down.” Dan rounded the corner and gave Phil a strange look. “Are you wearing those out?”

Phil reached up to adjust his glasses self-consciously. “Yeah, why?”

Dan shrugged and reached for his coat on the bannister. “No reason. It’s just, you don’t usually wear them out.”

“Do they look okay?”

Dan kissed Phil’s cheek. “They look great.” He leaned forward to whisper playfully in his ear, “Very sexy.” Dan reached around Phil to open the door and shrugged again. “You know I like them.”

Phil smiled to himself, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “Alright.”

The taxi dropped them off at the shops, where people traveled in thick packs, eager to finish their holiday shopping. Clouds shifted over the sun, threatening rain.

Dan turned to Phil, taking charge. “Okay, you have your list?”

"Yep!"

"And, I have mine. The rules of the game are simple: whoever buys the best gifts wins–"

Phil rolled his eyes. “And it must all fit in a shoebox,” he mimicked half-heartedly. “I’ve got it, I’ve got it! Let’s go!” He bounced on the balls of his feet.

"Okay, let’s meet back here in an hour. No calls before then, unless it’s a real emergency. That could be cheating. Deal?”

Phil nodded curtly and saluted. “Yes, sir!”

Dan’s serious expression dissolved into laughter. “Alright, go on then.”

“I don’t want you to see where I’m going!” Phil protested.

“Well, I don’t want you to see where I’m going, either!”

“Okay, how about this: We’ll turn around here, back to back, and then we’ll run off. No looking!” Phil pointed accusingly at Dan’s face.

“I’m not running, but okay.”

They turned and leaned back against each other.

"My Christmas child’s gonna have a better Christmas than your Christmas child," Phil muttered over his shoulder.

"You wish!" Dan retorted. "Say Christmas one more time."

Phil hissed, “Christmas.”

Dan laughed aloud. “Okay, okay, one.”

“Two.”

“Three!”

And, they were off—at a moderately brisk pace.

> Follow Phil.  
>  Follow Dan. 
> 
> see end notes

Phil returned just in time. He glanced up and down the pavement, searching for Dan. Packs of people shoved him this way and that as they forcefully advanced to the next shop. Rain began to drizzle from the sky, slowly at first, so that he wasn’t quite sure if he was imagining it. He tugged at his hood, pulling it on to shield his glasses, which were already fogging. His phone remained silent with no updates from Dan. Phil sent a text:

_Where are you?_

The rain started coming down faster, pounding against the hood of Phil’s jacket with sharp, heavy pings. It drug streaks over his lenses. He ducked under a cafe awning where Dan could still find him. Phil waited, hunched and shivering, for nearly ten minutes. He wiped at his glasses nonstop, perturbed at them. Finally, he gave up waiting and pulled out his phone. But, before he could put the call through, Dan’s name and contact photo appeared. He answered, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice, “Dan?”

"Phil, I, uh, I’m lost. I took a wrong turn somewhere, and I’ve got no idea how to get back to you."

Phil rolled his eyes, unsurprised. “Why didn’t you call sooner? I’ve been standing in the rain for ten minutes!”

He heard Dan sigh into the receiver. “I’m sorry. I thought I could figure it out. I—”

Phil rubbed his forehead, frustrated. “Just tell me what you see around you.” A rustling sound grated against his ears.

"Uh," Dan fumbled. "I see, um—you know what?" His tone switched abruptly.

"What?" Annoyance seeped through Phil’s words.

"I can text you my location!" Dan exclaimed.

"What, on your phablet?" He asked mockingly.

"Ugh, I hate that word. Yes. Hang on." A long moment passed with a lot of rustling. "Did you get it?"

Phil glanced at his phone. “Yeah.” He furrowed his brow. “What are you doing over there? There aren’t even any toy shops–”

"I— I told you I took a wrong turn!" The rain was falling harder, forcing Dan to shout over the noise.

"Hang on, I’m coming to get you." Phil zipped up his jacket, tied the handles of his shopping bag together, and prepared to run. "Have you got an umbrella?"

Dan didn’t answer for a moment. “I haven’t even got a hood. Look, I’ll be inside the pub on the corner, okay?”

"Why the pub?"

"It’s that or a posh lingerie shop, and I’d rather not get arrested."

Phil giggled softly, momentarily forgetting his frustration. “Alright, see you in a minute. I’m hanging up, now.”

"Okay. Run, Philip, run!" The background noise changed as Dan presumably entered the pub.

Phil stifled a laugh.

"Save me, Phil, save me!" Dan squealed.

"Stop! I’m hanging up on you."

"No, you’re not."

"Yes I am. Love you! Bye!" Phil yelled quickly before stuffing his phone into his pocket and taking off in a run.

Water soon filled his shoes as he stepped in puddle after puddle. Dan was only a couple blocks away, but that quickly felt like miles. Phil paused under a bus stop to catch his breath and clean his glasses. He’d almost immediately been running blind. To add to it all, his one shopping bag felt like it weighed a ton. He shifted it to his other hand, ensuring that the handles remained tied. The rain lessened to a drizzle again, and Phil took off in a brisk walk. Soon, the pub was in sight.

Through the window, he spied Dan fiddling with his shopping bags. He kept peeking inside the smallest one and biting his lip, a nervous habit. Phil watched him wrap the bag around its contents and stuff it in his coat. He glanced around suspiciously and spotted Phil on the street corner. Dan’s expression lit up immediately as he waved and exited the pub.

"My savior!"

"My smartass," Phil replied, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Dan laughed and ran a hand over his hair, fruitlessly trying to style the damp curls.

"Hobbit hair," Phil teased. "Come on, let’s go home and dry off. I’m shaking!"

Dan touched his arm. “That’s worrying. You should see someone about that.”

"Yeah, like the fireplace."

Dan wrapped an arm around Phil’s shoulders. He kissed the corner of his mouth, tasting rain. “Thanks for rescuing me,” he murmured.

"Yeah, yeah." Phil feigned disinterest as a blush colored his cheeks. "God, you’re so high maintenance!" Playful sarcasm dripped from his words.

"Hey!" Dan elbowed him, giggling. "You love it."

Phil just smiled as he walked close enough to brush shoulders with Dan, their sneaky version of hand-holding. “Alright,” he conceded with an elaborate eye roll. “Maybe, I had a little fun being the hero.”

Dan let out a raucous laugh, and they carried on home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Follow Phil: Proceed to the next chapter.  
> *Follow Dan: Okay, this didn't happen exactly as I planned, but you can see what Dan actually bought in the chapter titled "Gold Ring, Navy Box." Spoiler: He didn't get lost buying presents for his Christmas Child.
> 
> I've been considering posting a chapter of extras and deleted scenes. It would include some of what would have been the Follow Dan. Thoughts?


	12. Shopping (pt. 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil goes shopping for his Angel Tree child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a companion to the previous chapter. Because of my plan to heavily edit part 1, there may be some inconsistencies between this part and that.

# Shopping (pt. 2)

## Follow Phil

Phil rushed towards Hamleys, determined to buy his Angel Tree child the best presents in London. The child, a little girl called Anne who was twins with Dan’s child, had written sloppily in the wish section:

_a teddy bear please and an easy musical instrument_

As he hurried down the pavement, Phil cheated a bit and snuck a look in the reflective glass of a shop front. Dan was about to round the corner. He glanced at Phil surreptitiously as he turned. Phil smiled and crossed his eyes on the off-chance Dan could see him in the reflection. Dan threw his head back to laugh and carried on.

Hamleys was luckily nearby, so Phil would have plenty of time to shop. A display near the entrance held more teddy bears than he could count. He selected the one closest to him, a light brown bear with a red bow at its neck. The tag read: Hamleys Jolly Teddy Bear. Phil wanted Anne to light up with joy on Christmas morning. A jolly teddy bear was perfect. He carried it like a baby in one arm as he searched for musical instruments.

Anne had asked for an easy instrument. _Did that mean something like this maraca or something you can actually play, like a recorder?_ Phil wondered. He put both back, unsatisfied. Twenty minutes later, he’d almost resigned himself to buying a monkey-themed rain stick when he saw it: a giant piano mat. He rushed towards the display, reaching for one of the large white boxes. According to the description, Anne would be able to play four different instruments with her feet! It was perfect.

Phil rushed to the checkout area, grabbing a pack of AA batteries on the way. While waiting in the queue, he pulled his phone from his jacket pocket to check the time. He still had twenty minutes to spare. If he was quick, he could swing by and pick up Dan’s present. He’d already selected it and put in the order to a shop nearby. He just had to pick it up when Dan wasn’t around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, I had some plans for Dan's Angel Tree child. If you are interested in a 13th chapter filled with deleted scenes and extras, let me know in the comments!


	13. Deleted Scenes & Extras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These are deleted scenes and extras from most of the 12 Drabbles of Christmas. This chapter provides you with more details and a look behind the scenes at my writing process.

### Day 2: Decorating

##### deleted scene

"What about tinsel? Shouldn't we do that first?"

"Oh my god!" Dan nearly dropped the glass ornaments. "I forgot it! What the actual fuck. Hang on." He rushed from the lounge, tossing the box on the sofa as he passed. Phil heard him rummaging in the office. Moments later, he returned with an armful of silver tinsel.

"That looks," Phil paused, awkwardly, "very tangled."

##### a perfect example of how skeletal a fic looks the first time I write it

Dan: "It looks perfect. Like a Christmas card."

Phil: "Yeah, but it's not very us, is it?" Adds thing.

 

### Day 3: It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all

##### beginning of previous version

He fiddled with a strand of Christmas lights, blue and green, all blown out, and he missed Phil. Wind blew and windows whistled but no snow fell. He thought of Phil and angels under the stars. His hands shook, chilled. The skin dried and cracked. He pulled on gloves and thought of Phil’s hands, pale but always warm. Shreds of wrapping paper littered the floor.

##### alternate lines

He kissed him over and over in a shadowy corner of the train station, burning his lips into memory. Winter’s chill bit terribly, and he clutched Phil for warmth. For more than that. His heart was being choked and pulled. 

##### deleted line

The taxi driver cleared his throat and fumbled for his coffee cup.

 

### Day 4: Secret Santa

##### deleted line from a previous version in which Phil sends Dan a Hello Kitty mug

Inside, he found a mass of bubble wrap. He unwound from the object within carefully. A pink and white Hello Kitty mug tumbled into his lap. 

 

### Day 5: Gold Ring, Navy Box

##### alternate/deleted scene

He pulled the white gold band from his pocket and ran a finger over the small embedded diamond. Looking in the mirror, he dropped to one knee and proferred the ring, lying in his open palm, to his reflection. He shook his head immediately and stood. The ring glinted in the sunlight spilling from the window. He knew it fit his right ring finger perfectly but not his left—not that it mattered. His own eyes stared back at him as he desperately tried to summon the words. The traditional question wasn't enough. He needed to express his admiration, pride, gratitude, but most of all, his love. Again, he offered the ring to his reflection, this time remaining upright with the ring pinched between his thumb and forefinger. No, this wasn't right either. He sat on the edge of the bed, rolling the ring between his fingers, stumbling each time he brushed the stone.

 

### Day 6: Booze & Mistletoe

##### alternate line from just before they kiss

Dan's shoulders sagged dramatically as he accepted the inevitable.

 

### Day 7: Make My Wish Come True

##### summary to self before writing

Phil is waltzing around his parents' house when he hears "All I Want For Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey. He doesn't know where it's coming from. He follows it and discovers Dan [wrapped in tinsel] standing outside his window with a boombox

 

### Day 9: Two Gifts and a Ring

##### alternate lines after Dan gives Phil the Christmas sweater

Dan was beaming and studying Phil’s face for approval.

He looked him in the eyes sincerely. “I love it. Thank you.” He pulled Dan to him for a long, sweet kiss. “You’re the best."

##### deleted bit from previous version

Dan laughed out of both joy and pure relief. He ran his fingers through Phil’s hair as his lips sucked at his neck. He hummed with pleasure. “Phil…"

“Hm?” Phil didn’t stop.

“The ring. It’s rolled under the sofa."

 

### Day 10: The Reveal

##### summary to self before writing

At Phil's parents' house for Christmas  
After dinner chatter  
"We have something to tell you."  
Slide over box with pacifier (vid)  
"We wanted to wait until things were definite with the adoption agency."  
We told Dan's parents yesterday over Christmas Eve dinner

 

### Days 11-12: Shopping

##### summary to self before writing

BBC Radio 1 has an Angel Tree. Everyone participates. Dan & Phil get twin girls (Anne and Lily)

##### alternate ending

"Come on, let's go home and dry off. I'm shaking!"

Dan touched his arm. "That's worrying. You should see someone about that."

"Yeah, like the fireplace."

Dan wrapped an arm around Phil's shoulders. He kissed his cheek quickly, checking to be sure no one was looking at them. "Thank you," he murmured.

##### Follow Dan. (featuring notes to self)

_Lily: I wish for a doll from Frozen and a lego set. Thank you._

Dan checked the time again on his phone. The hour was passing faster than he'd thought, and he had yet to buy a single thing off his Christmas child's list. [[no change that last clause]]

He and Phil, along with the other Radio 1 DJs, were each fulfilling a child's wish list in collaboration with a charity. Dan and Phil's Christmas children happened to be twins with eerily similar lists. They'd turned it into a competition: May the best shoebox win.

Dan had planned to use this time to pick up Phil's gift, as well. That took longer than expected, as he'd become turned around upon leaving the shop. Now, he glanced up and down the street, searching for any landmark or sign that would point him back to Phil. It all seemed unfamiliar in the dimming light. The sky grew ever more dismal, rain almost imminent now. He had about five minutes to orient himself and meet Phil. It was impossible. He couldn't call Phil.


End file.
